How to Get the Party Started

Rahzel is in DC for a show. The next afternoon, he cruises down to the mall to check out some monuments.

Kweli happens to be in DC, visiting friends. Talib literally bumps into Rahzel near the Lincoln monument.

Mad tourists are scurrying around and taking pictures. Rahzel and Kweli start vibing, and eventually Rahzel puts down a beat. Talib starts to ride, and a small crowd gathers.

Cell phone pictures and text messages quickly draw a larger crowd, and even expand the cipher. It's not long before emcee's, beatboxers, and b-boys are flooding in. Now, the tourists start to circle up. Soon the spot is happening. Kids are doing backflips and headspins around Japanese photographers. Multiple emcee battles are going on to six part beatboxed baselines.

The media show up and rolls out cameras and reporters. After a minute riot police surround the square and start edging toward the show.

Kweli and Rahzel had left, and gone down the street for lunch. They come back and see the gorgeous chaos their simple encounter has wrought. After a quick conference, Talib and Rahzel hit their respective congressmen on the cell. A couple of their rep's, government and label, come through on the quick. Rahzel and Kweli hop on some megaphones and begin again to deliver. Now they have heavy volume, a large and engaged audience, and renewed motivation. Suddenly Hip-Hop is in the house.

The politicians and label people call off the riot squad, and aluta continua (the struggle continues). The movement moves the foot soldiers of the system off the block and the people create their own reality until the rising sun breaks up the show.